Taliban chop off hand in Pak tribal belt

Islamabad, Jan 05 (Agencies): The Taliban chopped off a man's hands after he was convicted of theft by a self appointed 'Shariah' court in the restive Orakzai tribal region of northwest Pakistan, just two days after they beheaded a fellow militant accusing him of spying for the Government.

Abdul Khaliq's hands were cut off by a butcher's knife by members of the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan in full public view at Qureshan Chowk in Mamozai area of Orakzai tribal agency.

The militant group used public address systems of a mosque to ask the people to witness the barbaric act, the 'Dawn' newspaper reported, adding that Khaliq was found guilty of theft by the Taliban.

The unfortunate victim who was later taken by public to a nearby hospital has left the area with his family, the paper said.

Despite claims by security forces and the semi-autonomous region's political administration that 90 per cent of Orakzai region had been purged of militants, the Taliban are still very active in several parts of the tribal agency.